Remote Sensing Drought Indices Evaluation Using NDVI and the Corresponding VCI in Amman Zarqa Basin

In sparse climatic data dry regions where calculated drought indices are incompatible and inefficient which leads to insistence on precise indices that are used to assess drought for monitoring. This study acquired remotely sensed images from Landsat-5, 7, and 8 under different periods from 1985 to 2021 in the Amman-Zarqa Basin (AZB). The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), and theVegetation Condition Index (VCI) were employed to monitor the spatial distribution and temporal evolution of drought conditions in AZB. The findings suggest that mild to moderate drought in the northeast and southeast parts of the basin emerged. From a temporal perspective, most basin parts exhibited relative fluctuations in drought intensity over the past 35 years. The third quarter blushed negative NDVI values and was dominated by reducing green cover and land productivity. Drought frequency based on VCI analysed, and indicated that light drought areas became moderate and severe drought areas.